The mission of the College of LAE is to provide a broad foundation of knowledge for all students, fostering an appreciation of the complexity of human nature and the diversity of human experience. The college accomplishes this in two ways: by providing liberal studies courses that form the foundation of a university education, and by offering a variety of major and minor programs which may be used as a basis for career development. Liberal education courses foster development of flexible, critical, reflective and divergent thinking. They form the foundation for lifelong learning and global citizenship preparing students not only for their chosen careers but for multiple facets of their lives. Liberal studies courses also develop skills in oral and written communication.
The college provides in-depth study in the liberal arts as well as programs leading to certification to teach. Licensure may be obtained in a major, a comprehensive major and/or minor.
A well-qualified faculty, who view their principal responsibility as teaching, take pride in advancing their majors in liberal arts and professional programs and engaging in productive interactions with the community at large.
Students are strongly encouraged to take advantage of opportunities for international and intercultural experiences to broaden their horizons, increase their understanding of others and prepare to live in the global community. UW-Platteville makes every effort to create these opportunities so that students do not lose any time toward graduation or incur significant additional expense.
Many courses required for general education can be fulfilled through UW-Platteville's education abroad programs in England, France, Germany, Ireland, Mexico, Spain, Italy, China, Australia and Fiji.
In addition, students may take major coursework in education through one-to-one student exchange programs in Stavanger, Norway, or in Windesheim, the Netherlands. These one-to-one exchange programs allow UW-Platteville students to pay tuition and fees locally while attending classes abroad. Therefore, the only additional costs incurred are for travel and incidental expenses.
The College of LAE offers modern classroom, computer and laboratory facilities. State-of-the-art multimedia lecture rooms are used by our faculty, and many departments have departmental computer labs which facilitate interactive learning. Williams Fieldhouse provides up-to-date facilities for health and physical education programs, and the Center for the Arts includes a 5.65.-seat concert hall with excellent acoustics, a 200-seat theater, rehearsal halls, faculty studios and numerous practice rooms.
Many programs within the college afford students the opportunity to pursue work experiences. Students can use their classroom knowledge to solve real-world problems under the careful guidance of mentors and the supervision of university faculty members.
Regional and area preschool, elementary, middle and high schools serve as laboratories for field experiences related to professional teaching. The college utilizes the Children's Center located on campus as an observation and clinical facility to prepare students for early childhood methods classes.
The Education Office of Special Programs provides administrative support to many teacher education programs and, in particular the cross-categorical special education and English language learner programs that lead to licensure by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. The office also makes available for purchase or checkout educational resources for middle level educators. These resources were compiled during the many years that UW-Platteville housed the Center of Education for the Young Adolescent and hosted the summer seminar, Teaching the Transescent. Seminars offered by the university today revolve around topics of interest identified by teachers of all levels in their professional development plans. EOSP is located in 134 Doudna Hall. More information can be obtained by calling 608.342.1276 or 1.800.208.7041.
Students enrolled in the College of LAE may earn either a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science degree. The college offers both of these degrees in most programs. A degree program consists of three parts: 1) liberal education requirements, 2) major requirements and 3) minor requirements and/or electives. The liberal education component has been established to provide all students, regardless of major, with a solid foundation for lifetime learning that is essential for successful personal and professional development. Since the liberal education requirements are also intended to aid students in advanced college studies, they should be completed during the freshman and sophomore years.
In addition to the liberal education component, each degree candidate must complete a major offered in the College of LAE. A typical major program requires 36 credits.
Comprehensive majors require 60 or more credits. A minor (usually 24 credits) or second major (within or outside the College of LAE) is optional. In teacher education, students are required to have an approved comprehensive major, an approved major and minor, or two approved majors.
The College of LAE has added the following stipulations to its degree programs: